Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Joy was decked out in a limited edition Chanel outfit, radiating a mix of luxury and that soft, irresistible charm. She was lounging there like she owned the place, while Jason seemed to be falling over himself to keep her happy.

It was becoming clear that the one throwing a wrench in the works this time wasn't Everett, but Joy.

Selena hadn't pegged Joy as the culprit at first, mainly because this project didn't exactly fit into the usual interests of Kesler International. Plus, the project demanded a hefty upfront investment and had a lengthy payback period. Kesler International had just bagged a major deal, so their cash flow was probably stretched thin.

But now, it was obvious that she had underestimated how far Joy would go to mess with her.noveldrama

Selena quickly regained her composure, flashing a smile as she said, "Sorry for being late, Jason."

Jason, being the savvy businessman he was, knew how to keep things smooth. He laughed it off, "No worries, Ms. Chambers. I just got here early. Please, take a seat."

Selena and Holt settled in.

Jason was about to introduce Joy to Selena, but she cut in smoothly, "We've already met, Jason."

Joy chimed in, "Yeah, Selena and I go way back."

Jason feigned surprise, "Ah, I see! Here I was, trying to play matchmaker for two lovely ladies, thinking I was being clever."

Despite his casual tone, inside he was feeling the pressure.

He finally realized what was going down. It was your classic case of frenemies clashing, and he was stuck right in the middle.

Having worked with Blaine for years, Jason naturally leaned towards sticking with Blaine. Blaine's finances were rock solid, unlike Kesler International, which was a bit of an unknown and might not have the cash to back up their talk.

In business, the rule of thumb was always trust the familiar over the unknown.

However, for things to move forward smoothly, he needed to keep the government happy. Joy's brother was potentially a big deal politically, and Jason couldn't afford to rub her the wrong way.

He thought about playing peacemaker, maybe host a dinner to hash things out. If Blaine could let Kesler International in on a piece of the action, everyone could walk away with something, and this mess might just sort itself out.

The upside was that with Joy's connections, the project could breeze through in Newport, which would be perfect.

But his hopes crumbled right then and there.

Jason felt a sinking feeling in his gut.

He had already poured a lot into this, and if it all fell apart, he'd be in serious trouble.

Jason got up to pour some tea for Joy and Selena.

He turned to Selena with genuine regret, "Ms. Chambers, this is on me. We did have a preliminary

agreement, and now I'm backing et

out. We'll stick to the contract, and I'll make sure you're fully compensated, so you don't take a hit."

Then he shifted to Joy, "Ms. Joy, as soon as things are squared away with Ms. Chambers, we'll sign with you. Or maybe, there's a chance for the three of us to

work together? You and Ms. Chambers are close, right?"

He was still holding out for a compromise.

Joy took a sip of her tea, looking calm and collected, but her words had an edge, "Jason, we have a

saying: war, there are no friends

and business needs clear boundaries. No matter how close Setena and I are, business is business."

"Of course, if you think partnering with Selena is better, I won't push. But picking a partner is crucial. Selena's been living the good life at home, looking after her husband and kids, and hasn't really done much business. I'm worried she might be a bib out of her depth and cause you some headaches."